Having women in private equity is only half the battle; they also need to thrive
The Level 20 mentoring programme supports women currently working in private equity to succeed and progress within their firms.
Aims & objectives
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Sharing experience
Level 20 mentoring is a two-way relationship: mentees learn from the experience of their mentors and mentors gain insights into the challenges faced by women in the industry
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Peer-to-peer networking
Mentees can develop long-standing close support networks with other women at similar stages in their careers
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Development & training
Mentees can access training and support sessions tailored to the challenges and issues they are likely to encounter
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Structure
The programme runs for 12 months, and mentees and mentors meet every six to
eight weeks -
Insight
Mentors receive a direct insight into the issues that can hinder the progression and retention of women in the industry
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Objectivity
For mentees, the programme provides a space outside of their day-to-day working environment to consider their career development with the distance and objectivity that their mentor can provide
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Programme structure may vary region to region
Being a mentor Ella Mountain & Andrew Sillitoe talk through their experience of mentorship
Hear from those who know it best
Our programmes currently operate across key European geographies
125
FIRMS HAVE PROVIDED MENTORS
10
PROGRAMMES
1200 +
Women have completed
the programme since 2015
Growing to meet demand
Now entering its tenth year, the programme currently operates across six geographies in Europe: UK, France, DACH, Nordics, Netherlands and Spain.
The programme is a structured one set up to enable both mentees and mentors to realise maximum value from it:
- 12-month programme
- Pairs junior and mid-level women with a more senior male or female mentor
- Primarily aimed at women in deal-professional roles
- Mentors and mentees are matched through a selective process
- Mentoring pairs meet every six to eight weeks, usually for a one-hour session
- All participants agree to maintain confidentiality of discussions
- Programme of training and support offered to both mentors and mentees
Measuring our impact
A review of the first six years of the Level 20 UK mentoring programme (2015-2021) revealed that:
OF MENTEES HAVE
SINCE BEEN PROMOTED
OF MENTEES STILL
REMAIN IN THE INDUSTRY
Meet the voices of Level 20
I’ve been involved with Level 20 since its inception, and that extends to my involvement in the mentoring programme. I was a mentee in the pilot programme, and the experience was transformational for me. I subsequently became a mentor and have been the Chair of the Level 20 Mentoring Programme since 2018.
ELEANOR MOUNTAIN
Chair Mentoring Programme, UK
I’ve been a mentor several times and I find it to be a valuable experience. It’s always a two-way process: it’s great to be able to help people advance but finding out about the issues that women face in the industry helps to inform our approach and move the work culture in the right direction. It’s highly rewarding and I believe makes you a better leader.
ANDREW SILLITOE
Mentor, UK
The mentoring programme received great support from the French private equity industry, demonstrated by the number of senior men and women offering to become a mentor, and the number of young female professionals who wanted to join.
CAROLINE FOLLÉAS
France Committee Chair
I’ve really enjoyed being a mentor on the group mentoring scheme. We’ve held some really interesting discussions covering a range of topics, aiming to build key skills that will be useful in their future careers.
IMOGEN RICHARDS
Mentor and Former Mentee, UK
Starting the programme, I was looking to meet a senior role model in the private equity space. The number of women in this industry is scarce and meeting someone whose career I can relate to and think “this is someone I could be in five or ten years time” is very valuable. I was looking for technical and practical advice but I also connected on a personal level with my mentor.
ANNE-SOPHIE MOINADE
Mentee, France
Being a mentor has been a rewarding surprise, especially being able to meet such a great group of young women moving up in private equity. My mentee has been very candid and I was able to identify with the issues she brought up: as mentors we’ve gone through some of these challenges earlier in our careers and I could recall and share experiences from my past.
MAITE BALLESTER
Mentor, Spain
